The Denver Broncos were one of the best teams in the NFL last season after earning the number one seed in the AFC in the playoffs and they got even better in free agency as they signed away Wes Welker from the New England Patriots and they could be making even more moves.
According to ESPN.com, Broncos president John Elway said on Thursday that defensive end Elvis Dumervil needs to take a pay cut by Friday, or he could be released. Elway said his contract is "out of whack" and if things are not resolved by the 4 pm deadline when he is set to make $12 million by his salary becoming guaranteed, he could be cut.
"It's not all about dollars. But when it's way out of whack? Then it's so out of whack that you've got to say: That [salary] can't be it," Elway said Thursday, according to the Denver Post. "Especially when you look at the market and what's out there now. It's so far out of whack. Hopefully, he realizes that."
Dumervil has been an excellent pass rusher for the team, but his six-year, $61.5 million deal was signed before Elway came to the front office, meaning he would like to change the deal or at least lower the $12 million number as the team needs cap space. The Boncos brought in Welker and Peyton Manning is on a $20 million contract, so they are right up against it.
Dumervil was second on the team with 11 sacks last season and had a league-high 17 in 2009 after coming out of Louisville before that. Von Miller is the main point of the Denver defense, but the team would like to keep Dumervil. If they cannot reach an agreement, the players they will look at include Manning's old Colts teammate Dwight Freeney as well as former Falcon John Abraham.
Both Freeney and Abraham are visiting with the Patriots according to ESPN.com and if things don't work out there, Denver could be their next option. Freeney is the career sacks leader for the Colts, but the team wanted to get younger at the position so they did no re-sign him. His stats have gone down over the past few years and he made just five sacks and 12 tackles in 14 games.
Freeney's numbers have been declining every year since 2009 when he had 13.5 sacks, but if he is teamed up with someone else on the line, chances are his numbers will improve. Abraham is 34-years-old and he had 10 sacks last season with the Falcons, but was released to help with cap space.
Both players could help the Broncos if they need to cut Dumervil, after which he would become the biggest defensive end name on the market.